Hands Meant for Holding
by hihiyas
Summary: Eponine is a very tactile person with all of her friends, but for some reason, she avoids any physical contact with Enjolras. He decides to ask her about it. Lyrics drabble prompt from Thea/Unicornesque. E/E modern AU


[AN: So, I've finally decided to add my Les Mis drabbles here. This one is a lyrics drabble prompt from Thea/Unicornesque. Her prompt was the song "Torete" by the Filipino band Moonstar88. Special thanks to Sabrina/Barriss-Before-It-Was-Cool for giving me the push I needed to finish this!]

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"Sandali na lang, maaari bang pagbigyan?  
Aalis na nga, maaari bang hawakan ang iyong mga kamay?  
Sana ay maabot ng langit ang iyong mga ngiti, sana ay masilip.  
'Wag kang mag-alala, 'di ko ipipilit sa 'yo.  
Kahit na lilipad, ang isip ko'y torete sa 'yo."

- Moonstar88, _Torete_

Eponine is a very tactile person, Enjolras observes. Always hugging Grantaire or messing up Marius's hair or playing with Cosette's braids or making Jehan blush with a peck on his cheek. She sits with an arm slung around Feuilly while discussing art, leans on Bahorel when they belt out corny love songs, and pokes Combeferre on his side whenever they argue about quantum theory. She likes to rub Bossuet's shining head (she claims it's for good luck), and loves to hit Courfeyrac on his arm (but only when his pick-up line is stupid). She's even Joly's go-to person whenever he needs a soothing backrub while he breathes into a paper bag.

She's very physically comfortable with all of their friends, except with him. It seems like a little thing to feel hurt about, but it bothers him enough to actually ask her about.

"You take great care not to touch me," he blurts out as they sit across each other at their regular table, during one of the rare times that it's just them in their favorite coffee shop.

Eponine starts at his voice and looks up from her sea of Lit handouts. "Er, what?"

He flushes a little at her confused expression but he soldiers on. "I noticed you're very… touchy-feely with our friends, with everyone, really. Except for me. I just want to know why."

She tilts her head as she slowly considers her reply. "But you hate it when people touch you. Like when one of those freshmen kids joined your latest rally and she grabbed your hand and you totally death glared at her until she slunk away."

"She was there just to flirt with me and I don't have the patience for people wasting my time! We were fighting against those unfair tuition fee increase-"

"Yes, yes, you don't want to be bothered by people throwing themselves at your feet when there's a damaged system to fix," she cuts in before Enjolras starts another rant. "Which is exactly my point. You've made it clear before that you don't want any romantic relationship, or heaven forbid, a sexual one. And I've wasted enough time with one idiot to bother trying to change your mind."

Did she just- "Wait, Eponine, are you saying-? But you call me a stupid, privileged idiot every chance you get!"

"Because, duh, you are. Not so much as you were before, but still," she shrugs.

The blond student gapes at her as she returns to her reading. How can she calmly go back to studying when she just upended his whole world with that revelation?

"So, you don't find me repulsive?" he asks.

"Have you looked at yourself? Nobody can ever find you repulsive," she says as she highlights her notes.

"So, you like me?"

"Yup."

"You like me, _like me_?"

"Mm hmm," She doesn't even blink as she confirms it.

"But you're not gonna do anything about it. And that's why you avoid touching me."

"Uh huh."

"Because you think I won't ever like you that way."

"You don't have to rub it in, ya know."

"But what if I tell you you're wrong?"

Her pen clatters forgotten at that last remark. "Excuse me?"

His hand reaches out across the table, and stops mere millimeters from her own. "I like you."

It was Eponine's turn to stare at him confusedly as she tries to comprehend his last statement.

"I like you, _like you._"

"Oh." Is she blushing? Unflappable, unstoppable Eponine, blushing?

"And I'd really like to hold your hand."

If the brilliant smile on her face is any indication, Enjolras thinks she'd really like that as well.


End file.
